


Role Model

by Sophonisba



Series: Zophonisbeion [16]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, Silly, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-11
Updated: 2013-08-11
Packaged: 2017-12-23 02:58:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/921194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophonisba/pseuds/Sophonisba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i> Rodney interrupted, [...] "<span class="u">I</span> had an excellent female role model when I was small."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Role Model

**Author's Note:**

> The lady in question was my second not-related-to-me female role model. Possibly it shows. One line of Rodney's was written by Henry Beard; some of his other phrasing was influenced by fox1013's [list](fox1013.livejournal.com/933681.html) of reasons why the subject is a feminist role model.

"One of the perennial issues on Earth," Elizabeth told Teyla, cutting up her herb salad, "is that little girls are happy to have both female and male role models -- and will do so even when presented with many potential female role models of all kinds -- but little boys are hesitant to have anything but male role models. Was it that way on Athos?"

"Hey, that's not true," Rodney interrupted, looking up from his tastes-like-rabbit stew. "I had an excellent female role model when I was small." 

"What did she teach you by example?" Teyla asked. 

"To stand up for myself -- never, never to let anyone take away what I deserve. To stick with things once I start them and never let go till they're done, if then. That I can do what I like, eat what I like, and wear what I like, because I am gorgeous and I can pull it off." 

Ford imperfectly concealed his snort. 

"Some people," Rodney acknowledged, "may not at first realize this. This is because they are full of Crazy, and when I want their opinion, _I will give it to them, is that understood?_" 

"Yessir!" the lieutenant hastily said. 

"If you act as if you deserve the respect you do, sooner or later people will get in the habit of giving it. There is always a place for judicious violence, although when it comes to heavy-duty affairs, never disdain the efforts that any reasonably helpful people would have offered me if I'd had the time to wait around for them to speak up. Never use any personal care product that makes me sneeze, itch, look old, or turn red and bumpy -- although I should think I'd have known that even before." 

"One would hope," Teyla agreed. 

"Even though I may perhaps be a bit bumptious -- you can stop making those faces, I can hear you snort -- there are people who will in fact like being around me, and will eventually admit it, although I may have to hunt them down and tell them so. Repeatedly. Outmoded patriarchal ideology does in fact have its place and that place is in the garbage with phlogiston and taking belladonna to make one's eyes look larger: tall, dark and handsome -- or petite, blonde, and pixieish, for that matter -- are not only smokingly hot but equivalent to widemouthed, gangly, and flailing. And useful physical skills are actually useful to learn, but should be saved for those times when they're really needed, such as escaping from captivity." 

Teyla, Elizabeth, and Ford all looked at each other. 

"So basically," Sheppard said, "you learned all your social interaction skills from a blonde stuffed pig." 

"Pretty much, yeah." Rodney nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, and! If you think she's making seventy percent of what the bear's making, you are clearly out of your mind."


End file.
